Pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS

ABSTRACT

The disclosure provides a new and distinct pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS as well as seeds and plants and fruits thereof. NUN 89004 PPS is a red, mini sweet pointed sweet pepper variety for the snacking segment, comprising resistance to Pepper Mild Mottle Virus Pathotype 0.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/195,299, filed on Nov. 19, 2018, which claims priority toU.S. Provisional Application No. 62/667,156, filed May 4, 2018, whichare hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to the field of plant breeding and, morespecifically, to the pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. The disclosurefurther relates to vegetative reproductions of pepper variety NUN 89004PPS, methods for tissue culture of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, andmethods for regenerating a plant from such a tissue culture and also tophenotypic variants of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

BACKGROUND

The goal of plant breeding is to combine various desirable traits in asingle variety/hybrid. Such desirable traits may include greater yield,resistance to diseases, insects or other pests, tolerance to heat anddrought, better agronomic quality, higher nutritional value, enhancedgrowth rate and improved fruit properties.

Breeding techniques take advantage of a plant's method of pollination.There are two general methods of pollination: a plant self-pollinates ifpollen from one flower is transferred to the same or another flower ofthe same genotype. A plant cross-pollinates if pollen comes to it from aflower of a different genotype. Plants that have been self-pollinatedand selected for (uniform) type over many generations become homozygousat almost all gene loci and produce a uniform population of truebreeding progeny of homozygous plants. A cross between two suchhomozygous plants of different lines produces a uniform population ofhybrid plants that are heterozygous for many gene loci. The extent ofheterozygosity in the hybrid is a function of the genetic distancebetween the parents. Conversely, a cross of two plants each heterozygousat a number of loci produces a segregating population of hybrid plantsthat differ genetically and are not uniform. The resultingnon-uniformity makes performance unpredictable.

The development of uniform varieties requires the development ofhomozygous inbred plants, the crossing of these inbred plants to makehybrids, and the evaluation of the hybrids resulting from the crosses.Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection are examples of breedingmethods that have been used to develop inbred plants from breedingpopulations. Those breeding methods combine the genetic backgrounds fromtwo or more plants or various other broad-based sources into breedingpools from which new lines are developed by selfing and selection ofdesired phenotypes. The new plants are evaluated to determine which havecommercial potential.

One crop species that has been subject to such breeding programs and isof particular value is the pepper. Pepper (Capsicum spp.) is naturally adiploid and the basic chromosome number of the genus is x=12, most are2n=2x=24, including the cultivated ones. A few wild species have 2n=26.Ploidy changes (both tetraploidy and haploidy) are relatively easy toinduce in Capsicum species. Doubled haploids have proved particularlyvaluable in the analysis of the genetically complex basis of someresistances to pests and diseases.

The genus Capsicum originated in American tropics. The fruit of mostspecies of Capsicum produce a strong burning sensation (pungency orspiciness) in the mouth of the unaccustomed eater due to the presence ofcapsaicin (methyl vanillyl nonenamide), a lipophilic chemical, making itas an important spice commodity. Capsaicin can be present in largequantities in the placental tissue (which holds the seeds), the internalmembranes, and to a lesser extent, the other fleshy parts of the fruitsof plants in this genus. The seeds themselves do not produce anycapsaicin. The amount of capsaicin in the fruit is highly variable anddependent on genetics and environment, giving almost all types ofCapsicum varied amounts of perceived heat.

The most recognizable Capsicum without capsaicin is the bell pepper, acultivar of Capsicum annuum, which has a zero rating on the Scovillescale. The lack of capsaicin in bell peppers is due to a recessive genethat eliminates capsaicin and, consequently, the “hot” taste usuallyassociated with the rest of the Capsicum family.

Pepper can be classified according to its target market: fresh marketand processing peppers. Peppers for the fresh market require that thefruits are firm, shiny and have fresh green calyx and stem. They aretypically consumed fresh as a snack or used in salad or sandwiches or asa cooked vegetable. On the other hand, processing peppers are used forfreezing or dehydrating and can be dried, ground as spices andprocessed, e.g., pickled, canned, brined or in salsas.

Majority of the peppers produced in the USA is the bell pepper (i.e.,sweet pepper), which are mainly marketed fresh. California and Floridaare the lead producers of bell peppers. Bell peppers are availableyear-round with supply at the greatest volume from May to July and Marchto April in California and Florida, respectively. Bulk of the bellpeppers grown and harvested are green, but premium is given to coloredbell peppers (i.e., red, yellow).

Both hybrids and open-pollinated varieties are used for production inthe US, with a growing trend in the use of seeded hybrid varieties.Hybrid varieties offer the advantages of easy combination of dominantand recessive traits, such as disease resistance, from a set of inbredparents, as well as careful control of parentage.

Advances in biotechnology have also resulted in genetically engineeredpepper plants with improved traits. For example, fungal resistant pepperplants comprising a PepEST or PepDef gene where the expression of thenucleic acid sequence in the plant resulted in increased resistance tofungal infection, see e.g., U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0037100, which herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

While breeding efforts to date have provided a number of useful peppervarieties with beneficial traits, there remains a great need in the artfor new varieties with further improved traits. Such plants wouldbenefit farmers and consumers alike by improving crop yields and/orquality. Breeding objectives include resistance to pests and diseases,improvement of fruit quality, protection against biotic and abioticstresses, varying the color, texture and flavor of the fruit, optimizingflesh thickness, yield, suitability to various climatic circumstances,heat, solid content (% dry matter), or sugar content.

SUMMARY OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure provides for a pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, productsthereof, and methods of using the same. NUN 89004 PPS is a red, minisweet pointed sweet pepper variety for the snacking segment. It issuitable for early harvest with concentrated fruit set.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a seed of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS, wherein a representative sample of said seed has beendeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266. The disclosure alsoprovides for a plurality of seeds of NUN 89004 PPS. The pepper seed ofNUN 89004 PPS may be provided as an essentially homogeneous populationof pepper seed. The population of seed of NUN 89004 PPS may beparticularly defined as being essentially free from other seed. The seedpopulation may be grown into plants to provide an essentiallyhomogeneous population of pepper plants as described herein.

The disclosure also provides a plant grown from a seed of pepper varietyNUN 89004 PPS and a plant part thereof. In another aspect, thedisclosure provides for a hybrid variety of pepper called NUN 89004 PPS.The disclosure also provides for a progeny of NUN 89004 PPS. In anotheraspect, the disclosure provides a plant or a progeny retaining all orall but one, two or three of the “distinguishing characteristics” or allor all but one, two or three of the “morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics” of NUN 89004 PPS and methods for producing that plantor progeny.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a plant or a progeny having allthe physiological and morphological characteristics of variety NUN 89004PPS when grown under the same environmental conditions. In anotheraspect, the plant or progeny has all or all but one, two or three of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS when measured under the same environmental conditions ande.g., evaluated at significance levels of 1%, 5% or 10% significance(which can also be expressed as a p-value) for quantitativecharacteristics, wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN89004 PPS has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266. Inanother aspect, the plant or progeny has all or all but one, two orthree of the physiological and morphological characteristics as listedin Tables 1, 2, and 3 for variety NUN 89004 PPS when measured under thesame environmental conditions and e.g., evaluated at significance levelsof 1%, 5% or 10% significance (which can also be expressed as a p-value)for quantitative characteristics.

In another aspect, a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS or a progeny thereofhas 18, 19, or more or all of the following distinguishingcharacteristics as shown in Table 4: 1) taller plant height; 2) longer3^(rd) internode length; 3) wider cotyledon width; 4) longer mature leaflength; 5) wider mature leaf width; 6) longer petiole length; 7) largercalyx diameter; 8) longer mature fruit length; 9) larger fruit diameterat calyx attachment; 10) shorter mature fruit diameter at mid-point; 11)thicker flesh at mid-point; 12) heavier mature fruit weight; 13) longerpedicel length; 14) longer seed cavity length; 15) larger seed cavitydiameter; 16) longer placenta length; 17) more seeds per fruit; 18)reddish orange mature fruit color; and 19) greyish olive green leafcolor.

In another aspect, the plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS or progeny thereofcomprises resistance to Pepper Mild Mottle Virus Pathotype 0, measuredaccording to UPOV standards described in TG/76/8.

The disclosure provides for a plant part obtained from variety NUN 89004PPS, wherein said plant part is: a fruit, a harvested fruit, a part of afruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, a cell, a petiole, ashoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root or a partthereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed, seed coat oranother maternal tissue which is part of a seed grown on said variety,hypocotyl, cotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil, ananther, or a flower or a part thereof. Fruits are particularly importantplant parts. In a further aspect, the plant part obtained from varietyNUN 89004 PPS is a cell, optionally a cell in a cell or tissue culture.That cell may be grown into a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS.

The disclosure also provides a cell culture of pepper variety NUN 89004PPS, and a plant regenerated from pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, whichplant has all the characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, whengrown under the same environmental conditions, as well as methods forculturing and regenerating pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. Alternatively,a regenerated plant may have one characteristic that is different frompepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

The disclosure further provides a vegetatively propagated plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS having all or all but one, two or three of themorphological and physiological characteristics of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS, when grown under the same environmental conditions.

The disclosure furthermore provides a pepper fruit produced on a plantgrown from a seed of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a seed growing or grown on aplant of variety NUN 89004 PPS (i.e., produced after pollination of theflower of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the mature leaf (top) of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS andthe Reference Variety.

FIG. 2 shows the mature leaf (bottom) of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPSand the Reference Variety.

FIG. 3 shows the whole mature fruit of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS andthe Reference Variety.

FIG. 4 shows the cross-section of mature fruit of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS and the Reference Variety.

DEFINITIONS

“Pepper” refers herein to plants of the species Capsicum annuum orfrutescens, and fruits thereof. The most commonly eaten part of a pepperis the fruit or berry. The fruit comprises a stem or peduncle orpedicel, calyx, placenta, fruit wall, veins, shoulder, base, apex,locule or lobe, septa, exocarp, mesocarp, endocarp, pericarp, optionallysecondary peppers, optionally capsaicin glands and optionally seed. Thestem or peduncle or pedicel, calyx, placenta, fruit wall, veins,shoulder, base, apex, locule or lobe, septa, exocarp, mesocarp,endocarp, pericarp, secondary peppers, capsaicin glands and seedcoat ofthe seed are maternal tissues, and thus they are genetically identicalto the plant on which they grow.

“Cultivated pepper” refers to plants of Capsicum annuum, or a closelyrelated species, e.g., varieties, breeding lines or cultivars of thespecies C. annuum as well as crossbreds thereof, or crossbreds withother Capsicum species, cultivated by humans and having good agronomiccharacteristics.

The terms “pepper plant designated NUN 89004 PPS,” “NUN 89004 PPS,” “NUN89004,” “NUN 89004 F1,” “89004 PPS,” “pepper 89004,” or “Summak” areused interchangeably herein and refer to a pepper plant of variety NUN89004 PPS, representative seed of which has been deposited underAccession Number NCIMB 43266.

A “seed of NUN 89004 PPS” refers to a pepper seed which can be growninto a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein a representative sampleof viable seed of NUN 89004 PPS has been deposited under AccessionNumber NCIMB 43266. A seed can be in any stage of maturity, for example,a mature, viable seed, or an immature, non-viable seed. A seed comprisesan embryo and maternal tissues.

An “embryo of NUN 89004 PPS” refers to an “F1 hybrid embryo” as presentin a seed of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, a representative sample ofsaid seed of said pepper variety has been deposited under AccessionNumber NCIMB 43266.

A “seed grown on NUN 89004 PPS” refers to a seed grown on a mature plantof variety NUN 89004 PPS or inside a fruit of pepper variety NUN 89004PPS. The “seed grown on NUN 89004 PPS” contains tissues and DNA of thematernal parent, pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. The “seed grown on NUN89004 PPS” contains an F2 embryo. When said seed is planted, it growsinto a first generation progeny plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS.

A “fruit of NUN 89004 PPS” refers to a fruit containing maternal tissuesof pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS as deposited under Accession NumberNCIMB 43266. In one aspect, the fruit does not contain seed, i.e., thefruit is parthenocarpic. The skilled person is familiar with methods forinducing parthenocarpy. Those methods comprise chemically or geneticallyinducing parthenocarpy. Compounds suitable for chemically inducingparthenocarpy include auxins, gibberellins and cytokinins. Geneticparthenocarpy can be induced by CaARF8 mutants (see, e.g., Tiwari etal., BMC Plant Biology 2011, 11:143 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-11-143 orU.S. Pat. No. 8,492,619, which are herein incorporated by reference intheir entireties). A fruit can be in any stage of maturity, for example,comprising viable seed or comprising immature non-viable seed.

An “essentially homogeneous population of pepper seed” is a populationof seeds where at least 97%, 98%, 99% or more of the total population ofseed are seed of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

An “essentially homogeneous population of pepper plants” is a populationof plants where at least 97%, 98%, 99% or more of the total populationof plants are plants of variety NUN 89004 PPS.

The phrase “essentially free from other seed” refers to a population ofseed where less than 3%, 2%, 1% or less of the total population of seedis seed that is not a pepper seed or, in another option, less than 3%,2%, 1% or less of the total population of seed is seed that is not seedof pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

“Tissue culture” or “cell culture” refers to a composition comprisingisolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of suchcells organized into parts of a plant. Tissue culture of various tissuesof pepper and regeneration of plants therefrom is well known and widelypublished (see, e.g., Sang-Gu et al. (1988), Plant Cell, Tissue andOrgan Culture 12: 67-74; Kothari et al., (2010) Biotechnology Advances28: 35-48). Similarly, methods for preparing a “tissue culture” or “cellculture” are well known in the art.

“USDA descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors for pepper(Capsicum spp.) as published by the US Department of Agriculture,Agricultural Marketing Service, Plant Variety Protection Office,Beltsville, Md. 20705, and which can be downloaded from the world wideweb at ams.usda.gov under services/plant-variety-protection/pvpo-c-formsunder pepper. “Non-USDA descriptors” are other descriptors suitable fordescribing pepper.

“UPOV descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors described forpepper in the “Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness,Uniformity and Stability, TG/76/8 (Geneva 2006, revised 2015-03-25 and2018-09-20), as published by UPOV (International Union for theProtection of New Varieties and Plants, and which can be downloaded fromthe world wide web at upov.int under edocs/tgdocs/en/tg076.pdf and isherein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Likewise, “UPOVmethods” to determine specific parameters for the characterization ofpepper are described at upov.int.

“RHS” refers to the Royal Horticultural Society of England whichpublishes an official botanical color chart quantitatively identifyingcolors according to a defined numbering system. The chart may bepurchased from Royal Horticulture Society Enterprise Ltd RHS Garden;Wisley, Woking; Surrey GU236QB, UK, e.g., the RHS color chart 2007.

“Reference Variety for NUN 89004 PPS” refers herein to variety TP 1201 acommercial variety from company Femix Seeds, which has been planted in atrial together with pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. The characteristics ofpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS were compared to the characteristics of theReference Variety as shown in Tables 1 and 2. The UPOV characteristicsof pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS are shown in Table 3. The distinguishingcharacteristics between pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS and the ReferenceVariety are shown in Table 3.

“Harvest maturity” is referred to as the stage at which a pepper fruitis ripe or ready for harvest or the optimal time to harvest the fruitfor the market, for processing or for consumption. In one aspect,harvest maturity is the stage which allows proper completion of thenormal ripening.

“Flavor” refers to the sensory impression of a food or other substance,especially a pepper fruit or fruit part (fruit flesh) and is determinedmainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. Flavor is influencedby texture properties and by volatile and/or non-volatile chemicalcomponents (organic acids, lipids, carbohydrates, salts, etc.).

“Plant part” includes any part of a plant, such as a plant organ (e.g.,harvested or non-harvested fruits), a plant cell, a plant protoplast, aplant cell tissue culture or a tissue culture from which a whole plantcan be regenerated, a plant cell that is intact in a plant, a clone, amicropropagation, plant callus, a plant cell clump, a plant transplant,a vegetative propagation, a seedling, a fruit, a harvested fruit, a partof a fruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, an embryo, apetiole, a shoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root ora part thereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed,hypocotyl, cotyledon, a scion, a graft, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil,an anther, and a flower or parts of any of these and the like. Seed canbe mature or immature. Pollen or ovules may be viable or non-viable.Also, any developmental stage is included, such as seedlings, cuttingsprior or after rooting, mature plants or leaves. Alternatively, a plantpart may also include a plant seed which comprises one or two sets ofchromosomes derived from the parent plant, e.g., from pepper variety NUN89004 PPS. An F2 progeny produced from self-pollination of peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS, will thus comprise two sets of chromosomesderived from that variety, while an F2 progeny derived fromcross-fertilization of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, will comprise onlyone set of chromosomes from said variety and the other set ofchromosomes from the other parent.

“Harvested plant material” refers herein to plant parts (e.g., fruitsdetached from the whole plant), which have been collected for furtherstorage and/or further use.

“Yield” means the total weight of all pepper fruits harvested perhectare of a particular line or variety. It is understood that “yield”expressed as weight of all pepper fruits harvested per hectare can beobtained by multiplying the number of plants per hectare times the“yield per plant”.

“Marketable yield” means the total weight of all marketable pepperfruits, especially fruit that is not cracked, damaged or diseased,harvested per hectare of a particular line or variety. A “marketablefruit” is a fruit that has commercial value.

“Rootstock” or “stock” refers to the plant selected for its roots, inparticular for the resistance of the roots to diseases or stress (e.g.,heat, cold, salinity etc.). Generally, the quality of the fruit of theplant providing the rootstock is less important.

“Scion” refers to a part of the plant attached to the rootstock. Thisplant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits. The scioncontains the desired genes to be duplicated in future production by thestock/scion plant and may produce the desired pepper fruit.

“Stock/scion” or grafted plant refers to a pepper plant comprising arootstock from one plant grafted to a scion from another plant.

A plant having “all the physiological and morphological characteristics”of a referred-to-plant means a plant showing the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the referred-to-plant when grown underthe same environmental conditions, preferably in the same experiment;the referred-to-plant can be a plant from which it was derived, e.g.,the progenitor plant, the parent, the recurrent parent, the plant usedfor tissue- or cell culture, etc. A physiological or morphologicalcharacteristic can be a numerical characteristic or a non-numericalcharacteristic. In one aspect, a plant has “all but one, two or three ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics” of areferred-to-plant, or “all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics” of Tables 1, 2, and 3 or “all or all but one, two orthree of the physiological and morphological characteristics” of Tables1, 2, and 3.

The physiological and/or morphological characteristics mentioned aboveare commonly evaluated at significance levels of 1%, 5% or 10% if theyare numerical, or for having an identical degree (or type) if notnumerical, if measured under the same environmental conditions. Forexample, a progeny plant or a Single Locus Converted plant or a mutatedplant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, may have one or more (or all) of thephysiological and/or morphological characteristics of said varietylisted in Tables 1, 2, and 3, as determined at the 5% significance level(i.e., p<0.05) when grown under the same environmental conditions.

“Distinguishing characteristics” or “distinguishing morphological and/orphysiological characteristics” refers herein to the characteristicswhich distinguish (i.e., are different) between the new variety andother pepper varieties, such as the Reference Variety, when grown underthe same environmental conditions. The distinguishing characteristicsbetween pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS and the Reference Variety aredescribed herein and also can be seen in Tables 1, 2, and 3. Whencomparing pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS with different varieties, thedistinguishing characteristics will be different. In one aspect, thedistinguishing characteristics may therefore include at least one, two,three or more (or all) of the characteristics listed in Table 4. Allnumerical distinguishing characteristics are statistically significantlydifferent at p<0.05 between pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS and the othervariety, e.g., the Reference Variety.

Pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS has the following distinguishingcharacteristics when compared to the Reference Variety as shown in Table4: 1) taller plant height; 2) longer 3^(rd) internode length; 3) widercotyledon width; 4) longer mature leaf length; 5) wider mature leafwidth; 6) longer petiole length; 7) larger calyx diameter; 8) longermature fruit length; 9) larger fruit diameter at calyx attachment; 10)shorter mature fruit diameter at mid-point; 11) thicker flesh atmid-point; 12) heavier mature fruit weight; 13) longer pedicel length;14) longer seed cavity length; 15) larger seed cavity diameter; 16)longer placenta length; 17) more seeds per fruit; 18) reddish orangemature fruit color; and 19) greyish olive green leaf color, where thecharacteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS are compared to thecharacteristics of Reference Variety, when grown under the sameenvironmental conditions.

Thus, a pepper plant “comprising the distinguishing characteristics ofpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS” (such as a progeny plant) refers herein toa plant which does not differ significantly from said variety in thedistinguishing characteristics above. Therefore, in one aspect, a plant(such as a progeny plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS) is provided whichdoes not differ significantly from pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS in thedistinguishing characteristics above.

Similarity and differences between two different plant lines orvarieties can be determined by comparing the number of morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics (e.g., the characteristics aslisted in Table 1, 2 and 3) that are the same (i.e., statistically notsignificantly different) or that are different (i.e., statisticallysignificantly different) between the two plant lines or varieties whengrown under the same environmental conditions. A numericalcharacteristic is considered to be “the same” when the value for anumeric characteristic is not significantly different at the 1% (p<0.01)or 5% (p<0.05) significance level, using one way Analysis of variance(ANOVA), a standard method known to the skilled person. Non-numerical or“degree” or “type” characteristic is considered “the same” when thevalues have the same “degree” or “type” when scored using USDA and/orUPOV descriptors, if the plants are grown under the same environmentalconditions.

As used herein, the term “variety,” “cultivated pepper,” or “cultivar”means a plant grouping within a single botanical taxon of the lowestknown rank, which grouping, irrespective of whether the conditions forthe grant of a breeder's right are fully met, can be defined by theexpression of the characteristics resulting from a given genotype orcombination of genotypes, distinguished from any other plant grouping bythe expression of at least one of the said characteristics andconsidered as a unit with regard to its suitability for being propagatedunchanged.

A “plant line” is, for example, a breeding line which can be used todevelop one or more varieties. A breeding line is typically highlyhomozygous.

“Hybrid variety” or “F1 hybrid” refers to the seeds harvested fromcrossing two inbred (nearly homozygous) parental lines. For example, thefemale parent is pollinated with pollen of the male parent to producehybrid (F1) seeds on the female parent.

“Regeneration” refers to the development of a plant from cell culture ortissue culture or vegetative propagation.

“Vegetative propagation,” “vegetative reproduction,” or “clonalpropagation,” are used interchangeably herein and mean a method oftaking a part of a plant and allowing that plant part to form at leastroots, and also refer to the plant or plantlet obtained by that method.Optionally, the vegetative propagation is grown into a mature plant. Theskilled person is aware of what plant parts are suitable for use in themethod.

“Selfing” refers to self-pollination of a plant, i.e., the transfer ofpollen from the anther to the stigma of the same plant.

“Crossing” refers to the mating of two parent plants. The termencompasses “cross-pollination” and “selfing”.

“Cross-pollination” refers to the fertilization by the union of twogametes from different plants.

As used herein, the terms “resistance” and “tolerance” are usedinterchangeably to describe plants that show no symptoms orsignificantly reduced symptoms to a specified biotic pest, pathogen,abiotic influence or environmental condition compared to a susceptibleplant. These terms are optionally also used to describe plants showingsome symptoms but that are still able to produce marketable product withan acceptable yield.

The term “traditional breeding techniques” encompasses herein crossing,selfing, selection, doubled haploid production, embryo rescue,protoplast fusion, marker assisted selection, mutation breeding, etc. asknown to the breeder (i.e., methods other than geneticmodification/transformation/transgenic methods), by which, for example,a genetically heritable trait can be transferred from one pepper line orvariety to another.

“Backcrossing” is a traditional breeding technique used to introduce atrait into a plant line or variety. The plant containing the trait iscalled the donor plant and the plant into which the trait is transferredis called the recurrent parent. An initial cross is made between thedonor parent and the recurrent parent to produce a progeny plant.Progeny plants which have the trait are then crossed to the recurrentparent. After several generations of backcrossing and/or selfing therecurrent parent comprises the trait of the donor. The plant generatedin this way may be referred to as a “single trait converted plant”. Thetechnique can also be used on a parental line of a hybrid.

“Progeny” as used herein refers to a plant obtained from a plantdesignated NUN 89004 PPS. A progeny may be obtained by regeneration ofcell culture or tissue culture or parts of a plant of said variety orselfing of a plant of said variety or by producing seeds of a plant ofsaid variety. In further aspects, progeny may also encompass plantsobtained from crossing of at least one plant of said variety withanother pepper plant of the same variety or another variety or(breeding) line, or with wild pepper plants. A progeny may comprise amutation or a transgene. A “first generation progeny” or is the progenydirectly derived from, obtained from, obtainable from or derivable fromthe parent plant by, e.g., traditional breeding methods (selfing and/orcross-pollinating) or regeneration (optionally combined withtransformation and mutation). Thus, a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, isthe male parent, the female parent or both of a first generation progenyof that variety. Progeny may have all the physiological andmorphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, whengrown under the same environmental conditions and/or progeny may have(be selected for having) one or more of the distinguishingcharacteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. Using common breedingmethods such as backcrossing or recurrent selection, mutation ortransformation, one or more specific characteristics may be introducedinto said variety, to provide or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3or more of the morphological and physiological characteristics of peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS (as listed in Table 1, 2 and 3).

The terms “gene converted” or “conversion plant” or “single locusconverted plant” in this context refer to pepper plants which aredeveloped by traditional breeding techniques e.g., backcrossing or viagenetic engineering or through mutation breeding, wherein essentiallyall of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics ofthe parent variety or line are recovered, in addition to the one or moregenes transferred into the parent via e.g., backcrossing technique(optionally including reverse breeding or reverse synthesis of breedinglines). It is understood that only the addition of a furthercharacteristic (e.g., addition of gene conferring a furthercharacteristic, such as a disease resistance gene), but also thereplacement/modification of an existing characteristic by a differentcharacteristic is encompassed herein.

Likewise, a “Single Locus Converted (Conversion) Plant” refers to aplant developed by plant breeding techniques comprising or consisting ofmutation and/or by genetic transformation and/or by traditional breedingtechniques, such as backcrossing, wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of a pepper variety arerecovered in addition to the characteristics of the single locus havingbeen transferred into the variety via the backcrossing technique. Incase of a hybrid, the gene may be introduced in the male or femaleparental line.

“Average” refers herein to the arithmetic mean.

The term “mean” refers to the arithmetic mean of several measurements.The skilled person understands that the appearance of a plant depends tosome extent on the growing conditions of said plant. Thus, the skilledperson will know typical growing conditions for pepper variety NUN 89004PPS. The mean, if not indicated otherwise within this application,refers to the arithmetic mean of measurements on at least 10 different,randomly selected plants of a variety or line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein arepresentative sample of seeds of said variety has been deposited underthe Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43266. NUN 89004 PPS isa red, mini sweet pointed sweet pepper for the snacking segment. It issuitable for early harvest with concentrated fruit set.

The disclosure also relates to a seed of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS,wherein a representative sample of said seed has been deposited underthe Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43266.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for a pepper plant part ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS, preferably a fruit, a representative sample ofseed from said variety has been deposited under the Budapest Treaty,with Accession number NCIMB 43266.

In another aspect, a seed of hybrid variety NUN 89004 PPS is obtainableby crossing the male parent of said variety with the female parent ofsaid variety and harvesting the seeds produced on the female parent. Theresultant seeds of said variety can be grown to produce plants of saidvariety. In one aspect, a seed or a plurality of seeds of said varietyare packaged into a container of any size or type (e.g., bags, cartons,cans, etc.). The seed may be disinfected, primed and/or treated withvarious compounds, such as seed coatings or crop protection compounds.The seed produces a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS.

Also provided is a plant of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, or a fruit orother plant part thereof, produced from a seed, wherein a representativesample of said seeds has been deposited under the Budapest Treaty, withAccession Number NCIMB 43266.

Also a plant part obtained from variety NUN 89004 PPS, is provided,wherein said plant part is: a fruit, a harvested fruit, a part of afruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, a cell, a petiole, ashoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root or a partthereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed, seed coat oranother maternal tissue which is part of a seed grown on said varieties,hypocotyl, cotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil, ananther, and a flower or a part thereof. Fruits are particularlyimportant plant parts. Fruits may be parthenocarpic, or seedless, orcontain immature and/or nonviable seeds. In a further aspect, the plantpart obtained from variety NUN 89004 PPS is a cell, optionally a cell ina cell or tissue culture. That cell may be grown into a plant of varietyNUN 89004 PPS. A part of variety of NUN 89004 PPS (or of progeny of thatvariety or of a plant having all physiological and/or morphologicalcharacteristics but one, two or three which are different from those ofpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS) further encompasses any cells, tissues,organs obtainable from the seedlings or plants in any stage of maturity.

The disclosure also provides for a food or feed product or a processedproduct comprising or consisting of a plant part described herein.Preferably, the plant part is a pepper fruit or part thereof and/or anextract from a fruit or another plant part described herein comprisingat least one cell of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. The food or feedproduct may be fresh or processed, e.g., dried, grinded, powdered,pickled, chopped, cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted,puréed or concentrated, juiced, pickled, canned, steamed, boiled, fried,blanched and/or frozen, etc.

Such a plant part of variety NUN 89004 PPS can be stored and/orprocessed further. The disclosure thus also provides for a food or feedproduct comprising one or more of such parts, such as canned, chopped,cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted, puréed orconcentrated, juiced, frozen, dried, pickled, or powdered pepper fruitfrom said variety or from progeny of said variety, or from a planthaving all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphologicalcharacteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for a pepper fruit of varietyNUN 89004 PPS, or a part of a fruit of said variety. The fruit can be inany stage of maturity, for example, immature or mature. In anotheraspect, the disclosure provides for a container comprising or consistingof a plurality of harvested pepper fruits or parts of fruits of saidvariety, or fruits of progeny thereof, or fruits of a derived variety.

In another aspect, the plant, plant part or seed of NUN 89004 PPS isinside a container, for example, containers such as cans, boxes, crates,bags, cartons, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, films (e.g., biodegradablefilms), etc. comprising a plant or a part of a plant (fresh and/orprocessed) or a seed of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. In a particularaspect, the container comprises a plurality of seeds, or a plurality ofplant parts of variety NUN 89004 PPS.

The disclosure further relates to a pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, whichwhen compared to its Reference Variety has the following distinguishingcharacteristics as shown in Table 4: 1) taller plant height; 2) longer3^(rd) internode length; 3) wider cotyledon width; 4) longer mature leaflength; 5) wider mature leaf width; 6) longer petiole length; 7) largercalyx diameter; 8) longer mature fruit length; 9) larger fruit diameterat calyx attachment; 10) shorter mature fruit diameter at mid-point; 11)thicker flesh at mid-point; 12) heavier mature fruit weight; 13) longerpedicel length; 14) longer seed cavity length; 15) larger seed cavitydiameter; 16) longer placenta length; 17) more seeds per fruit; 18)reddish orange mature fruit color; and 19) greyish olive green leafcolor, where the characteristics are determined at the 5% significancelevel for plants grown under the same environmental conditions. Alsoencompassed are parts of that plant.

In one aspect, a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS or a progeny plantthereof, comprises all of the following morphological and/orphysiological characteristics (i.e., average values of distinguishingcharacteristics, as indicated on the USDA Objective description ofvariety—pepper (unless indicated otherwise)) as shown in Tables 1, 2,and 3, where the characteristics are determined at the 5% significancelevel for plants grown under the same environmental conditions. A partof this plant is also provided.

Pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS may further exhibit one or more of thefollowing traits: 1) erect plant attitude; 2) more basal branching; and3) no surface blistering on the mature leaf surface.

In another aspect, the plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS or progeny thereofcomprises resistance to Pepper Mild Mottle Virus Pathotype 0, measuredaccording to UPOV standards described in TG/76/8.

The disclosure further provides a pepper plant which does not differfrom the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS as determined at the 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% or 5%significance level when grown under the same environmental conditions.In a particular aspect, the plants are measured in the same trial (e.g.,the trial is conducted as recommended by the USDA or UPOV). Thedisclosure also comprises a part of said plant.

The disclosure also provides a tissue or cell culture comprising cellsof pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. Such a tissue culture can, for example,be grown on plates or in liquid culture, or be frozen for long termstorage. The cells of pepper culture NUN 89004 PPS used to start theculture can be selected from any plant part suitable for vegetativereproduction, or in a particular aspect can be one or more of an embryo,meristem, a cotyledon, a hypocotyl, pollen, a leaf, an anther, a root, aroot tip, a pistil, a petiole, a flower, a fruit, seed, and/or a stem.In another particular aspect, the tissue culture does not containsomaclonal variation or has reduced somaclonal variation. The skilledperson is familiar with methods to reduce or prevent somaclonalvariation, including regular reinitiation.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a pepper plant regenerated fromthe tissue or cell culture of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein theregenerated plant is not significantly different from pepper variety NUN89004 PPS in all, or all but one, two or three, of the physiological andmorphological characteristics (determined at the 5% significance levelwhen grown under the same environmental conditions). Optionally, theplant has one, two or three the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics that are affected by a mutation or by transformation. Inanother aspect, the disclosure provides a pepper plant regenerated fromthe tissue or cell culture of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein theplant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofsaid variety determined at the 5% significance level when grown underthe same environmental conditions. In these cases, similarity ordifference of a characteristic is determined by measuring thecharacteristics of a representative number of plants grown under thesame environmental conditions, determining whether type/degreecharacteristics are the same and determining whether numericalcharacteristics are different at the 5% significance level.

Pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, or its progeny, or a plant having allphysiological and/or morphological characteristics but one, two or threewhich are different from those of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, can alsobe reproduced using vegetative reproduction methods. Therefore, thedisclosure provides for a method of producing a plant, or a partthereof, of variety NUN 89004 PPS, comprising vegetative propagation ofsaid variety. Vegetative propagation comprises regenerating a wholeplant from a plant part of variety NUN 89004 PPS (or from a progeny ofsaid variety or from or a plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of said variety but one, two or threedifferent characteristics), such as a cutting, a cell culture, or atissue culture.

The disclosure also concerns methods of vegetatively propagating a partof the plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS. In certain aspects, the methodcomprises the steps of: (a) collecting tissue or cells capable of beingpropagated from a plant described herein; (b) cultivating said tissue orcells to obtain proliferated shoots; and (c) rooting said proliferatedshoots, to obtain rooted plantlets. Steps (b) and (c) may also bereversed, i.e. first cultivating said tissue to obtain roots and thencultivating the tissue to obtain shoots, thereby obtaining rootedplantlets. The rooted plantlets may then be further grown, to obtainplants. In one aspect, the method further comprises step (d) growingplants from said rooted plantlets. Therefore, the method also comprisesregenerating a whole plant from said part of the plant of variety NUN89004 PPS. In a particular aspect, the part of the plant to bepropagated is a cutting, a cell culture or a tissue culture.

The disclosure also provides for a vegetatively propagated plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS (or from progeny of said variety or from or aplant having all but one, two or three physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of said variety), wherein the plant hasall of the morphological and physiological characteristics of peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS, when the characteristics are determined at the 5%significance level for plants grown under the same conditions. Inanother aspect, the propagated plant has all but one, two or three ofthe morphological and physiological characteristics of pepper varietyNUN 89004 PPS, when the characteristics are determined at the 5%significance level for plants grown under the same conditions. A part ofsaid propagated plant or said propagated plant with one, two or threedifferences is also included.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method for producing apepper plant part, preferably a fruit, comprising growing a plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS until it sets at least one fruit, and collectingthe fruit. Preferably, the fruit is collected at harvest maturity. Inanother aspect, the fruit is collected when the seed is ripe. A plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS can be produced by seeding directly in the soil(e.g., field) or by germinating the seeds in controlled environmentconditions (e.g., greenhouses) and optionally then transplanting theseedlings into the field. For example, the seed can be sown intoprepared seed beds where they will remain for the entire production thecrop. Stakes and plastic mulches may also be used for peppers for thefresh the market, particularly, when peppers are to be harvested atmature fruit color and to promote earliness and yield. On the otherhand, no stake or mulch is used for processing peppers. Moreover, peppercan also be grown entirely in greenhouses or tunnels.

In still another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing apepper plant, comprising crossing a plant of pepper variety NUN 89004PPS with a second pepper plant at least once, allowing seed to developand optionally harvesting said progeny seed. The skilled person canselect progeny from said crossing. Optionally, the progeny (grown fromthe progeny seed) is crossed twice, thrice, or four, five, six or seventimes, and allowed to set seed. In one aspect of the disclosure, thefirst “crossing” further comprises planting seeds of a first and asecond parent pepper plant, often in proximity so that pollination willoccur; for example, mediated by insect vectors. Alternatively, pollencan be transferred manually. Where the plant is self-pollinated,pollination may occur without the need for direct human interventionother than plant cultivation. After pollination the plant can produceseed.

In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing aplant, comprising selfing a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS one or moretimes, and selecting a progeny plant from said selfing. In one aspect,the progeny plant retains all the distinguishing characteristics ofpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS when grown under the same environmentalconditions. In a different aspect the progeny plant comprises all (orall but one, two or three) of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristic of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS of Tables 1, 2, and 3.

In other aspects, the disclosure provides a progeny plant of variety NUN89004 PPS, such as a progeny plant obtained by further breeding thatvariety. Further breeding with the variety includes selfing that varietyone or more times and/or cross-pollinating that variety with anotherpepper plant or variety one or more times. In particular, the disclosureprovides for a progeny plant that retains all the morphological andphysiological characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS or, inanother aspect, a progeny plant that retains all, or all but one, two orthree, of the morphological and physiological characteristics of peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS, optionally all or all but one, two or three ofthe characteristics as listed in Tables 1, 2, and 3, when grown underthe same environmental conditions, determined at the 5% significancelevel for numerical characteristics. In a particular aspect, the progenyis a first generation progeny, i.e., the ovule or the pollen (or both)used in the crossing is an ovule or pollen of variety NUN 89004 PPS,where the pollen comes from an anther of and the ovule comes from anovary of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. In another aspect, the disclosureprovides for a vegetative reproduction of the variety and a plant havingall, or all but 1, 2, or 3 of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS (e.g., as listed inTables 1, 2, and 3).

The disclosure also provides a method for collecting pollen comprisingcollecting pollen from a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS. Alternatively,the method comprises growing a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS until atleast one flower contains pollen and collecting the pollen. Inparticular aspect, the pollen is collected when it is mature or ripe. Asuitable method for collecting pollen comprises collecting anthers orthe part of the anther that contains pollen, for example by cutting theanther or the part of the anther off. Pollen can be collected in acontainer. Optionally, collected pollen can be used to pollinate apepper flower.

The morphological and/or physiological differences between two differentindividual plants of the disclosure (e.g., between pepper variety NUN89004 PPS, and a progeny thereof) or between a plant of variety NUN89004 PPS or progeny of said variety, or a plant having all, or all but1, 2, or 3, of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS (or all, or all but 1, 2, or 3 of thecharacteristics as listed in Tables 1, 2 and 3) and another knownvariety can easily be established by growing said variety next to eachother or next to the other variety (in the same field, under the sameenvironmental conditions), preferably in several locations which aresuitable for said pepper cultivation, and measuring morphological and/orphysiological characteristics of a number of plants (e.g., to calculatean average value and to determine the variation range/uniformity withinthe variety). For example, trials can be carried out in Acampo Calif.,USA (N 38 degrees 07′261″/W 121 degrees 18′ 807″, USA), whereby variouscharacteristics, for example, maturity, days from seeding to harvest,plant habit, plant attitude, leaf shape, leaf color, blistering, numbersof flowers per leaf axil, number of calyx lobes, number of petals, fruitgroup, immature fruit color, mature fruit color, pungency, flavor, fruitglossiness, fruit size, fruit shape, average number of fruits per plant,seed size, seed weight, anthocyanin level, disease resistance, insectresistance, can be measured and directly compared for species of pepper.Thus, the disclosure comprises pepper plant having one, two or threephysiological and/or morphological characteristics which are differentfrom those of the plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS and which otherwise hasall the physiological and morphological characteristics of said variety,when determined at the 5% significance level for plants grown under thesame environmental conditions. In a particular aspect, the differentcharacteristic(s) is/are result of breeding with pepper variety NUN89004 PPS and selection of progeny plant comprising 1, 2, or 3characteristics which are different than in pepper variety NUN 89004PPS. In another aspect, the different characteristic is the result of amutation (e.g., spontaneous mutation or a human induced mutation throughe.g., targeted mutagenesis or traditional mutagenesis such as chemicallyor radiation induced mutagenesis), or it is the result oftransformation.

The morphological and physiological characteristics (and thedistinguishing characteristics) of NUN 89004 PPS are provided in Tables1, 2 and 3. Encompassed herein is also a plant obtainable from peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS (e.g., by selfing and/or crossing and/orbackcrossing with said variety and/or progeny of said variety)comprising all or all but one, two or three of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS listed inTables 1, 2 and 3 as determined at the 5% significance level fornumerical characteristics or identical for non-numerical characteristicswhen grown under the same environmental conditions and/or comprising oneor more (or all; or all except one, two or three) characteristics whengrown under the same environmental conditions. The morphological and/orphysiological characteristics may vary somewhat with variation in theenvironment (such as temperature, light intensity, day length, humidity,soil, fertilizer use), which is why a comparison under the sameenvironmental conditions is preferred. Colors can best be measured usingthe Royal Horticultural Society Chart.

In yet a further aspect, the disclosure provides for a method ofproducing a pepper plant. The method comprises crossing a plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS, or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 of themorphological and physiological characteristics of said variety (aslisted in Tables 1, 2, and 3), or a progeny plant thereof, either asmale or as female parent, with a second pepper plant (or a wild relativeof pepper) one or more times, and/or selfing a pepper plant of varietyNUN 89004 PPS or a progeny plant thereof, one or more times, andselecting progeny from said crossing and/or selfing. The second pepperplant may, for example, be a line or variety of the species Capsicumannuum, C. frutecens, C. baccatum, C. chinense, or other Capsicumspecies.

The disclosure provides for methods of producing plants which retain allthe morphological and physiological characteristics of a plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS. The disclosure provides also for methods ofproducing a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of themorphological and physiological characteristics of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS (e.g., as listed in Tables 1, 2, and 3), but which are stillgenetically closely related to said variety. The relatedness can, forexample, be determined by fingerprinting techniques (e.g., making use ofisozyme markers and/or molecular markers such as Single-nucleotidepolymorphism (SNP) markers, amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP) markers, microsatellites, minisatellites, Random AmplifiedPolymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) markers and others). A plant is “closely related” to NUN 89004PPS if its DNA fingerprint is at least 80%, 90%, 95% or 98% identical tothe fingerprint of said variety. In a particular aspect, AFLP markersare used for DNA fingerprinting (see, e.g., Vos et al. 1995, NucleicAcid Research 23: 4407-4414). A closely related plant may have aJaccard's Similarity index of at least about 0.8, preferably at leastabout 0.9, 0.95, 0.98 or more (see, e.g., Ince, et. al., 2010, BiochemGenet 48:83-95). The disclosure also provides a plant and a varietyobtained or selected by applying these methods on pepper variety NUN89004 PPS. Such a plant may be produced by crossing and/or selfing, oralternatively, a plant may simply be identified and selected amongstplants of said variety, or progeny of said variety, e.g., by identifyinga variant within pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, or within progeny of saidvariety (e.g., produced by selfing) which variant differs from saidvariety in one, two or three of the morphological and/or physiologicalcharacteristics (e.g., in one, two or three distinguishingcharacteristics), e.g., those listed in Tables 1, 2, and 3. In oneaspect, the disclosure provides a pepper plant having a Jaccard'sSimilarity index with pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS of at least 0.8,e.g., at least 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 0.98 or even at least 0.99.

In some aspects, the disclosure provides a pepper plant comprisinggenomic DNA having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identitycompared to the genomic DNA sequence of a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPSas deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266. In some aspects, thepepper plant further comprises all or all but 1, 2, or 3 of themorphological and physiological characteristics of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS (e.g., as listed in Tables 1, 2, and 3). In other aspects, thepepper plant is a hybrid derived from a seed or plant of variety NUN89004 PPS. In other aspects, the pepper plant further comprises all ofthe distinguishing characteristics of a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS.

For the purpose of this disclosure, the “sequence identity” ofnucleotide sequences, expressed as a percentage, refers to the number ofpositions in the two optimally aligned sequences which have identicalresidues (×100) divided by the number of positions compared. A gap,i.e., a position in the pairwise alignment where a residue is present inone sequence but not in the other, is regarded as a position withnon-identical residues. A pairwise global sequence alignment of twonucleotide sequences is found by aligning the two sequences over theentire length according to the Needleman and Wunsch global alignmentalgorithm described in Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, J. Mol. Biol.48(3):443-53). A full implementation of the Needleman-Wunsch globalalignment algorithm is found in the needle program in The EuropeanMolecular Biology Open Software Suite (see, e.g., EMBOSS, Rice et al.,Trends in Genetics June 2000, vol. 16, No. 6. pp. 276-277).

The disclosure also provides methods for determining the identity ofparental lines of plants described herein, in particular the identity ofthe female line. US2015/0126380, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety, relates to a non-destructive method foranalyzing maternal DNA of a seed. In this method, the DNA is dislodgedfrom the seed coat surface and can be used to collect information on thegenome of the maternal parent of the seed. This method for analyzingmaternal DNA of a seed comprises contacting a seed with a fluid todislodge DNA from the seed coat surface, and analyzing the DNA thusdislodged from the seed coat surface using methods known in the art. Theskilled person is thus able to determine whether a seed has grown on aplant of a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, is a progeny of said variety,because the seed coat of the seed is a maternal tissue geneticallyidentical to said variety. In one aspect, the disclosure relates to aseed coat comprising maternal tissue of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. Inanother aspect, the disclosure relates to a pepper seed comprising amaternal tissue of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. In another particularaspect, the disclosure provides for a method of identifying the femaleparental line of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS by analyzing the seed coatof a seed of that variety. In another aspect, the skilled person candetermine whether a seed is grown on pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS byanalyzing the seed coat of said seed.

By crossing and/or selfing, (one or more) single traits may beintroduced into pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS (e.g., using backcrossingbreeding schemes), while retaining the remaining morphological andphysiological characteristics of said variety and/or while retaining oneor more or all distinguishing characteristics. A single trait convertedplant may thereby be produced. For example, disease resistance genes maybe introduced, genes responsible for one or more quality traits, yield,etc. Both single genes (e.g., dominant or recessive) and one or moreQTLs (quantitative trait loci) may be transferred into pepper varietyNUN 89004 PPS by breeding with said variety.

Alternatively, a single trait converted plant or single locus convertedplant of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS may be produced by (i) geneticallytransforming or mutating cells of NUN 89004 PPS; (ii) growing the cellsinto a plant; and (iii) optionally selecting a plant that contains thedesired single locus conversion. The skilled person is familiar withvarious techniques for genetically transforming a single locus in aplant cell, or mutating said cells.

Any pest or disease resistance genes may be introduced into a plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS, progeny of said variety or into a plantcomprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of NUN 89004 PPS (e.g., as listed inTables 1, 2, and 3). Resistance to one or more of the following diseasesor pests may be introduced into plants of the disclosure: CucumberMosaic Virus, Curly Top Virus, Pepper Mild Mottle Virus, Potato Y Virus,Tobacco Etch Virus, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus,Anthracnose (Gloeosporium piperatum), Bacterial Spot (Xanthomonasvesicatoria), Cercospora Leaf Spot (Cercospora capsici), Nematode(Meloidogyne incognita acrita), Phytophthora Root Rot (Phytophthoracapsici), Ripe Rot (Vermicularia capsici), Southern Blight (Sclerotiumrolfsii) and/or Verticillium Wilt (Verticillium dahliae). Otherresistance genes, against pathogenic viruses, fungi, bacteria,nematodes, insects or other pests may also be introduced. In anotheraspect, the resistance is TSWV resistance.

The disclosure also provides a method for developing a pepper plant in apepper breeding program, using a pepper plant described herein, or itsparts as a source of plant breeding material. Suitable plant breedingtechniques are recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding,mass selection, mutation breeding and/or genetic marker enhancedselection. For example, in one aspect, the method comprises crossingpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS or progeny of said variety, or a plantcomprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS (e.g., aslisted in Tables 1, 2, and 3), with a different pepper plant, andwherein one or more offspring of the crossing are subject to one or moreplant breeding techniques: recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigreebreeding, mass selection, mutation breeding and genetic marker enhancedselection (see e.g., Martin et al. 2008, Australian Journal of CropScience 1(2): 43-46). For breeding methods in general, see, e.g.,Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding, 2007, George Acquaah,Blackwell Publishing, ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-3646-4.

The disclosure also provides a pepper plant comprising at least a firstset of the chromosomes of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, a sample of seedof said variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266;optionally further comprising a single locus conversion or a mutation,wherein said plant has all of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of the plant comprising at least a first set of thechromosomes of said variety. In another aspect, this single locusconversion confers a trait: yield, compact pepper, fruit quality,storage properties, color, male sterility, herbicide tolerance, insectresistance, pest resistance, disease resistance, environmental stresstolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism, modified proteinmetabolism, or ripening.

In one aspect, a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS may also be mutated (bye.g., irradiation, chemical mutagenesis, heat treatment, etc.) andmutated seeds or plants may be selected in order to change one or morecharacteristics of said variety. Methods such as TILLING may be appliedto pepper populations in order to identify mutants. Similarly, peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS may be transformed and regenerated, whereby one ormore chimeric genes are introduced into the variety or into a plantcomprising all but 1, 2, 3, or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics (e.g., as listed in Tables 1, 2, and 3).Transformation can be carried out using standard methods, such asAgrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation or biolistics,followed by selection of the transformed cells and regeneration intoplants. A desired trait (e.g., gene(s) conferring pest or diseaseresistance, herbicide, fungicide or insecticide tolerance, etc.) can beintroduced into pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, or progeny of saidvariety, by transforming said variety or progeny of said variety with atransgene that confers the desired trait, wherein the transformed plantretains all or all but one, two or three of the phenotypic and/ormorphological and/or physiological characteristics of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS or the progeny of said variety and contains the desired trait.

The disclosure also provides a plant or a cell of a plant comprising adesired trait produced by mutating a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS or acell thereof and selecting a plant the desired trait, wherein themutated plant retains all or all but one of the phenotypic andmorphological characteristics of said variety, optionally as describedfor each variety in in Tables 1, 2, and 3, and contains the desiredtrait and wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN 89004PPS is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266. In a furtheraspect, the desired trait is yield, compact pepper, fruit quality, malesterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance,disease resistance, Powdery mildew resistance without necrosis,environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism,modified protein metabolism, or ripening.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for inducing mutation inpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, comprising:

-   -   a) exposing the seed, plant or plant part or cell of pepper        variety NUN 89004 PPS to a mutagenic compound or to radiation,        wherein a representative sample of seed of said pepper variety        is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266;    -   b) selecting the seed, plant or plant part or cell of pepper        variety NUN 89004 PPS, having a mutation; and    -   c) optionally growing and/or multiplying the seed, plant or        plant part or cell of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, having the        mutation.

The disclosure also provides a plant having one, two or threephysiological and/or morphological characteristics which are differentfrom those of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS and which otherwise has allthe physiological and morphological characteristics of said variety,wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN 89004 PPS isdeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266. In particular, variantswhich differ from pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, in none, one, two orthree of the characteristics mentioned in Tables 1, 2, and 3 areencompassed.

A part of the plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS (or of progeny of saidvariety or of a plant having all physiological and/or morphologicalcharacteristics but one, two or three which are different from those ofsaid variety) encompasses any cells, tissues, organs obtainable from theseedlings or plants, such as but not limited to: a pepper fruit or apart thereof, a cutting, hypocotyl, cotyledon, seed coat, pollen and thelike. Such parts can be stored and/or processed further. The disclosurefurther provides for food or feed products comprising a part of theplant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, or a part of progeny of said variety, ora part of a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS,comprising one or more of such parts, optionally processed (such ascanned, chopped, cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted,puréed or concentrated, juiced, frozen, dried, pickled, or powdered).

In one aspect, the disclosure provides for a haploid plant and/or adoubled haploid plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, or of a plant having allbut one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristicsof pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, or progeny of any of these. Haploid anddoubled haploid (DH) plants can, for example, be produced by cell ortissue culture and chromosome doubling agents and regeneration into awhole plant. DH production chromosome doubling may be induced usingknown methods, such as colchicine treatment or the like). In one aspect,the method comprises inducing a cell or tissue culture with a chromosomedoubling agent and regenerating the cells or tissues into a whole plant.

In another aspect, the disclosure comprises a method for making doubledhaploid cells from haploid cells of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPScomprising doubling cells of with a doubling agent, such as a colchicinetreatment (see, e.g., Nikolova V, Niemirowicz-Szczytt K (1996) Acta SocBot Pol 65:311-317).

In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides for haploid plants and/ordoubled haploid plants derived from pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS that,when combined, make a set of parents of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.The haploid plant and/or the doubled haploid plant of NUN 89004 PPS canbe used in a method for generating parental lines of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS.

Using methods known in the art such as “reverse synthesis of breedinglines” or “reverse breeding”, it is possible to produce parental linesfor a hybrid plant such as pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. Thus, a skilledperson can take any individual heterozygous plant (called a“phenotypically superior plant” in Example 2 of US2015/0245570, herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety; pepper variety NUN 89004 PPSis such plant) and generate a combination of parental lines (reversebreeding parental lines) that, when crossed, produce pepper variety NUN89004 PPS. It is not necessary that the reverse breeding parental linesare identical to the original parental lines. Such breeding methods arebased on the segregation of individual alleles in the spores produced bya desired plant and/or in the progeny derived from the self-pollinationof that desired plant, and on the subsequent identification of suitableprogeny plants in one generation, or in a limited number of inbredcycles. Such a method is known from US2015/0245570 or from Wijnker etal., Nature Protocols Volume: 9, Pages: 761-772 (2014) DOI:doi:10.1038/nprot.2014.049. Thus, the disclosure provides a method forproducing parental lines for a hybrid organism (e.g., pepper variety NUN89004 PPS), comprising in one aspect: a) defining a set of geneticmarkers present in a heterozygous form (H) in a partially heterozygousstarting organism; b) producing doubled haploid lines from spores of thestarting organism; c) genetically characterizing the doubled haploidlines thus obtained for the said set of genetic markers to determinewhether they are present in a first homozygous form (A) or in a secondhomozygous form (B); and d) selecting at least one pair of doubledhaploid lines that have complementary alleles for at least a subset ofthe genetic markers, wherein each member of the pair is suitable as aparental line for the hybrid organism.

In another aspect, the method for producing parental lines for hybridorganisms, e.g., of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, which when crossedreconstitute the genome of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS comprising:

-   -   a) defining a set genetic markers that are present a        heterozygous form (H) in a partially heterozygous starting        organism;    -   b) producing at least one further generation from the starting        organism by self-pollination (e.g., F2 or F3 generation);    -   c) selecting at least one pair of progeny organisms in which at        least one genetic marker from the set is present in a        complementary homozygous forms (B vs. A, or A vs. B); and    -   d) optionally repeating steps b) and c) until at least one pair        of progeny organisms that have complementary alleles for at        least a subset of the genetic markers has been selected as        parental lines for a hybrid

The disclosure also provides a method for producing parental lines forpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS comprising: genetically characterizing adoubled haploid line from pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS to determinewhether one or more genetic markers are present in a first homozygousform or in a second homozygous form in said line, wherein the one ormore genetic markers are present in a heterozygous form in peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS; and selecting at least one pair of doubledhaploid lines that have complementary alleles for the one or more thegenetic markers, wherein each member of the pair is suitable as aparental line for a hybrid organism, optionally this method furthercomprises defining a set of genetic markers present in a heterozygousform in pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS; and producing doubled haploidlines from pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS. Doubled haploid lines generatedas described herein can be used in such a method.

Thus, in one aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of producing acombination of parental lines of a plant of variety NUN 89004 PPScomprising making doubled haploid cells from haploid cells from saidplant or a seed of that plant; and optionally crossing these parentallines to produce and collect seeds. In another aspect, the disclosurerelates to a combination of parental lines produced by this method. Instill another aspect, the combination of parental lines can be used toproduce a seed or plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, when these parentallines are crossed. In still another aspect, the disclosure relates to acombination of parental lines from which a seed or plant having allphysiological and/or morphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS (when the characteristics are determined at the 5%significance level for plants grown under the same conditions).

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of introducing asingle locus conversion, single trait conversion, or a desired traitinto pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS comprising:

-   -   a) obtaining a combination of a parental lines of pepper variety        NUN 89004 PPS, optionally through reverse synthesis of breeding        lines;    -   b) introducing a single locus conversion, single trait        conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of the parents of        step a); and    -   c) crossing the converted parent with the other parent of        step a) to obtain seed of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

A combination of a male and a female parental line of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS can be generated by methods described herein, for example,through reverse synthesis of breeding lines.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of introducing asingle locus conversion or single trait conversion or a desired traitinto pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, comprising introducing a single locusconversion, single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least oneof the parents of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS; and crossing theconverted parent with the other parent of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPSto obtain seed of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

The disclosure also provides a combination of parental lines which, whencrossed, produce a seed or plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS but one,two or three which are different (when grown under the sameenvironmental conditions), as well as a seed or plant having allphysiological and/or morphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN89004 PPS but one, two or three which are different (when thecharacteristics are determined at the 5% significance level for plantsgrown under the same conditions).

In another aspect, the step of introducing a single locus conversion,single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises:

-   -   a) obtaining a cell or tissue culture of cells of the parental        line of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS;    -   b) genetically transforming or mutating said cells;    -   c) growing the cells into a plant; and    -   d) optionally selecting plants that contain the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion or the desired trait.

In another method, the step of introducing a single locus conversion,single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises genetically transforming or mutating cells theparental line of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS; growing the cells into aplant; and optionally selecting plants that contain the single locusconversion, the single trait conversion or the desired trait.

In another aspect, the step of introducing a single locus conversion,single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises:

-   -   a) crossing the parental line of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS,        with a second pepper plant comprising the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion or the desired trait;    -   b) selecting F1 progeny plants that comprise the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion or the desired trait;    -   c) crossing said selected progeny plants of step b) with the        parental line of step a), to produce a backcross progeny plant;    -   d) selecting backcross progeny plants comprising the single        locus conversion, the single trait conversion or the desired        trait and otherwise all or all but one, two or three of the        morphological and physiological characteristics the parental        line of step a) to produce selected backcross progeny plants;        and    -   e) optionally repeating steps c) and d) one or more times in        succession to produce selected second, third or fourth or higher        backcross progeny plants comprising the single locus conversion,        the single trait conversion or the desired trait and otherwise        all or all but one, two or three of the morphological and        physiological characteristics the parental line of step a) to        produce selected backcross progeny plants, when grown in the        same environmental conditions.        The disclosure further relates to plants obtained by this        method.

In the above methods, wherein the single locus conversion concerns atrait, the trait may be yield or pest resistance or disease resistance.In one aspect, the trait is disease resistance and the resistance isconferred to Cucumber Mosaic Virus, Curly Top Virus, Pepper Mild MottleVirus, Potato Y Virus, Tobacco Etch Virus, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, TomatoSpotted Wilt Virus, Anthracnose (Gloeosporium piperatum), Bacterial Spot(Xanthomonas vesicatoria), Cercospora Leaf Spot (Cercospora capsici),Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita acrita), Phytophthora Root Rot(Phytophthora capsici), Ripe Rot (Vermicularia capsici), Southern Blight(Sclerotium rolfsii) and/or Verticillium Wilt (Verticillium dahliae).Other resistance genes, against pathogenic viruses, fungi, bacteria,nematodes, insects or other pests may also be introduced. In anotheraspect, the resistance is TSWV resistance.

Also provided is a plant part obtainable from variety NUN 89004 PPS, orfrom progeny of said variety or from a plant having all but one, two orthree physiological and/or morphological characteristics which aredifferent from those of said variety, or from a vegetatively propagatedplant of variety NUN 89004 PPS (or from its progeny or from a planthaving all or all but one, two or three physiological and/ormorphological characteristics which are different from those of saidvariety): a fruit, a harvested fruit, a part of a fruit, a leaf, a partof a leaf, pollen, an ovule, a cell, a petiole, a shoot or a partthereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root or a part thereof, a root tip,a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed, seed-coat or another maternaltissue which is part of a seed grown on pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, orhypocotyl, cotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil, ananther, and a flower or a part thereof.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of determining thegenotype of a plant of the disclosure comprising detecting in the genome(e.g., a sample of nucleic acids) of the plant at least a firstpolymorphism or an allele. The skilled person is familiar with manysuitable methods of genotyping, detecting a polymorphism or detecting anallele including SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) genotyping,restriction fragment length polymorphism identification (RFLP) ofgenomic DNA, random amplified polymorphic detection (RAPD) of genomicDNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism detection (AFLP), polymerasechain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, allele specific oligonucleotide(ASO) probes, and hybridization to DNA microarrays or beads.Alternatively, the entire genome could be sequenced. The method may, incertain aspects, comprise detecting a plurality of polymorphisms in thegenome of the plant, for example by obtaining a sample of nucleic acidfrom a plant and detecting in said nucleic acids a plurality ofpolymorphisms. The method may further comprise storing the results ofthe step of detecting the plurality of polymorphisms on a computerreadable medium.

The disclosure also provides for a food or feed product comprising orconsisting of a plant part described herein. Particularly, the plantpart is a pepper fruit or part thereof and/or an extract from a fruit oranother plant part described herein. The food or feed product may befresh or processed, e.g., dried, grinded, powdered, pickled, chopped,cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted, puréed orconcentrated, juiced, pickled, canned, steamed, boiled, fried, blanchedand/or frozen, etc.

Marketable pepper fruits are generally sorted by size and quality afterharvest. Alternatively, the pepper fruits can be sorted by expectedshelf life, pH or Brix.

Pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS may also be grown for use as rootstocks(stocks) or scions. Typically, different types of peppers are grafted toenhance disease resistance, which is usually conferred by the rootstock,while retaining the horticultural qualities usually conferred by thescion. It is not uncommon for grafting to occur between cultivatedpepper varieties and related pepper species. Methods of grafting andvegetative propagation are well-known in the art.

In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a plant comprising arootstock or scion of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.

All documents (e.g., patent publications) are herein incorporated byreference in their entirety, including the following cited references:

-   UPOV, “Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness,    Uniformity and Stability, TG/76/8 (Geneva 2006, revised Mar. 25,    2015 and Sep. 20, 2018); world wide web at upov.int/under    edocs/tgdocs/en/tg076.pdf.-   US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service,    “Objective Plant Description of Variety Pepper (Capsicum spp.)”    world wide web at ams.    usda.gov/services/plant-variety-protection/pvpo-c-forms, under    pepper.-   Acquaah, Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding, 2007, Blackwell    Publishing, ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-3646-4.-   Ince, A. G., et al., “Genetic Relationship Within and Between    Capsicum Species”, Biochem Genet, 2010, vol. 48, pp. 83-95.-   Kothari, S. L., et al., “Chili Peppers—A review on Tissue Culture    and Transgenesis”, Biotechnology Advances, 2010, vol. 28, pp. 35-48.-   Martin, E., et al., “Identification of Markers Linked to Agronomic    Traits in Globe Artichoke”, Australian Journal of Crop Science, vol.    1, no. 2, pp. 43-46.-   Needleman, S. B., et. al., “A General Method Applicable to the    Search for Similarities in the Amino Acid Sequence of Two Proteins”,    Journal of Molecular Biology, 1970, vol. 48(3), pp. 443-53.-   Nikolova, V., et. al., “Diploidization of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus    L.) Haploids by Colchini Treatment”, Acta Societas Botanicorum    Poloniae, 1996, vol. 65, pp. 311-317.-   Rice, P., et al., “EMBOSS: The European Molecular Biology Open    Software Suite”, Trends in Genetics, 2000, vol. 16, Issue 6. pp.    276-277.-   Sang-Gu, K., et al., “Callus Growth and Plant Regeneration in    Diverse Cultivars of Cucumber”, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ    Culture, 1988, vol. 12, pp. 67-74.-   Tiwari, A., et al., “Parthenocarpic Potential in Capsicum annum L.    is Enhanced by Carpelloid Structures and Controlled by Single    Recessive Gene”, BMC Plant Biology, 2011, vol. 11, pp. 2-14, DOI:    10.1186/1471-2229-11-143-   Vos, P., et al., AFLP: A New Technique for DNA Fingerprinting 1995,    Nucleic Acids Research, 1995, vol. 23, No. 21, pp. 4407-4414.-   Wijnker, E., et al., Hybrid Recreation by Reverse breeding in    Arabidopsis thaliana, Nature Protocols, 2014, vol. 9, pp. 761-772.    DOI: doi: 10.1038/nprot.2014.049-   U.S. Pat. No. 8,492,619-   US2006/0037100-   US2015/0245570-   US2015/0126380    Development of Pepper Variety NUN 89004 PPS

The hybrid variety NUN 89004 PPS was developed from a male and femaleproprietary inbred line of Nunhems. The female and male parents werecrossed to produce hybrid (F1) seeds of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS.The seeds of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS can be grown to produce hybridplants and parts thereof (e.g., pepper fruit). The hybrid variety NUN89004 PPS can be propagated by seeds or vegetatively.

The hybrid variety is uniform and genetically stable. This has beenestablished through evaluation of horticultural characteristics. Severalhybrid seed production events resulted in no observable deviation ingenetic stability. Coupled with the confirmation of genetic stability ofthe female and male parents the Applicant has concluded that peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS is uniform and stable.

Deposit Information

A total of 2500 seeds of the hybrid variety NUN 89004 PPS has beendeposited according to the Budapest Treaty by Nunhems B.V. on Nov. 13,2018, at the NCIMB Ltd., Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate,Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, United Kingdom (NCIMB). The deposit isassigned NCIMB Number 43266. A deposit of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPSand of the male and female parent line is also maintained at NunhemsB.V.

Access to the deposits will be available during the pendency of thisapplication to persons determined by the Director of the U.S. PatentOffice to be entitled thereto upon request. Subject to 37 C.F.R. §1.808(b), all restrictions imposed by the depositor on the availabilityto the public of the deposited material will be irrevocably removed uponthe granting of the patent. The deposit will be maintained for a periodof 30 years, or 5 years after the most recent request, or for theenforceable life of the patent whichever is longer and will be replacedif it ever becomes nonviable during that period. Applicant does notwaive any rights granted under this patent on this application or underthe Plant Variety Protection Act (7 U.S.C. § 2321 et seq.).

Characteristics of Pepper Variety NUN 89004 PPS

The most similar variety to NUN 89004 PPS is referred to as TP 1201, avariety from Femix Seeds. In Tables 1 and 2, a comparison between peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS and the Reference Variety are shown based on atrial in the USA during the trial season 2018. Trial location: Acampo,Calif., USA; Transplanting date: Nov. 29, 2018; Harvesting date: Mar. 5,2019. In Table 3, the UPOV characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004PPS are shown. In Table 4, the distinguishing characteristics betweenpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS and the Reference Variety are shown.

A trial of 30 plants of each variety, from which at least 15 plants orplant parts were randomly selected and used to measure characteristics.For numerical characteristics, averages were calculated. Fornon-numerical characteristics, the type/degree were determined.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a plant having the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, aspresented in Tables 1, 2, and 3.

TABLE 1 Objective Description of Pepper Variety NUN 89004 PPS and theReference Variety (USDA Descriptors) NUN 89004 PPS TP 1201 (Application(Reference Characteristics Variety) Variety) Species: 1 = C. annuum; 2 =C. frutescens; C. annuum C. annuum 3 = C. baccatum; 4 = C. chinense; 5 =Other (specify) Maturity (in Region of Best Adaptability) Days fromtransplanting 55 days NA until mature green stage Days fromtransplanting 65 days NA until mature red or yellow stage Plant (atmaturity): Plant Habit: Semi- Semi- 1 = Compact; 2 = Semi-spreading;spreading spreading 3 = Spreading; 4 = Other Plant Attitude: Erect toSemi- 1 = Erect; 2 = Semi-erect; semi-erect erect 3 = Prostrate 4 =Other Plant Height (cm) 67.8 56.4 Length of Stem from 14.2 14.3Cotyledons to First Flower (cm) Length of Third Internode 17.0 13.7(from soil surface) (mm) Basal Branches: Many (more Few (2-3) 1 = None;2 = Few (2-3); than 3) 3 = Many (more than 3) Branch Flexibility: RigidRigid 1 = Willowy (Cayenne Long Red); 2 = Rigid (Yolo Wonder L) StemStrength (Breakage Intermediate Intermediate Resistance): 1 = Weak; 2 =Intermediate; 3 = Strong Leaves (at maturity): Leaf Width (mm) 153.6120.6 Leaf Length (mm) 78.4 69.6 Petiole Length (mm) 79.8 69.6 MatureLeaf Shape: Lanceolate Lanceolate 1 = Lanceolate; 2 = Elliptic LeafColor: Dark green Dark green 1 = Light Green; (RHS 137D) (RHS 137A) 2 =Medium Green; 3 = Dark Green; 4 = Purple; 5 = Other (specify) (RHS colorchart value) Leaf and Stem Pubescence: Absent Absent 1 = Absent (YoloWonder L); 2 = Light; 3 = Moderate (Serrano); 4 = Heavy (Chili Piquin)Margin Undulation: Medium Medium 1 = Absent; 2 = Very Weak; 3 = Weak 4 =Medium; 5 = Strong; 6 = Very Strong Blistering: Absent Very weak 1 =Absent; 2 = Very Weak; 3 = Weak 4 = Medium; 5 = Strong; 6 = Very StrongFlowers: Number of Flowers 1 1 per Leaf Axil Number of Calyx Lobes 5.95.5 Number of Petals 5.9 5.7 Flower Diameter (mm) 25.4 24.1 CorollaColor: White White 1 = White; 2 = Purple; 3 = Other (Specify) CorollaThroat Markings: Purple Purple 1 = Yellow (Tan); 2 = Purple; 3 = Other(Specify) Anther Color: Yellow Yellow 1 = Yellow; 2 = Purple; 3 = Other(Specify) Style Length: Same as Same as 1 = Less Than Stamen; stamenstamen 2 = Same as Stamen; 3 = Exceeds Stamen Fruit (at maturity):Group: Mini pointed Mini pointed 1 = Bell (Yolo Wonder L); 2 = Pimiento(Pimiento Perfection); 3 = Ancho (Mexican Chili); 4 = Anaheim Chili(Sandia); 5 = Cayenne (Cayenne Long Red); 6 = Cuban (Cubanelle); 7 =Jalapeno (Jalapeno); 8 = Small Hot (Serrano); 9 = Cherry (Sweet Cherry);10 = Short Wax (Floral Gem); 11 = Long Wax (Sweet Banana); 12 = Tabasco(Tabasco); 13 = Habanero (Scotch Bonnet); 14 = Other Immature FruitColor: Dark green Dark green 1 = Light Green (Cubanelle); (RHS N137A)(RHS N137A) 2 = Medium Green (Long Thin Cayenne); 3 = Dark Green (YoloWonder L); 4 = Very Dark Green (Ancho Chili); 5 = Yellow (Yellow Belle);6 = Purple (Violetta); 7 = Ivory (Twiggy); 8 = Other (RHS color chartvalue) Mature Fruit Color: Red (RHS Red (RHS 1 = Red (Yolo Wonder L);42A) N34A) 2 = Orange; 3 = Orange-Yellow (Golden Calwonder); 4 = Brown(Mulatto); 5 = Ivory; 6 = Green (Permagreen); 7 = Salmon; 8 = LemonYellow; 9 = Other (RHS color chart value) Pungency: Sweet to hot Sweetto hot 1 = Sweet (Yolo Wonder L); 2 = Hot (Jalapeno) Flavor: Mild pepperMild pepper 1 = Mild Pepper Flavor; flavor flavor 2 = Moderate PepperFlavor; 3 = Strong Pepper Flavor; 4 = Other Fruit Glossiness: ModerateModerate 1 = Dull; 2 = Moderate; 3 = Shiny Surface Smoothness: SmoothSmooth 1 = Smooth (Yolo Wonder L); 2 = Rough (Long Thin Cayenne) FruitPosition: Pendent Pendent 1 = Upright (Santaka); 2 = Horizontal; 3 =Pendent (Jalapeno) Calyx Shape: Saucer-shaped Saucer-shaped 1 =Cup-shaped (flat, non- (flat, non- (Enveloping Fruit enveloping)enveloping) Base); 2 = Saucer- shaped (Flat, Non- Enveloping) CalyxDiameter (mm) 19.9 17.2 Fruit Length (mm) 93.5 63.3 Fruit Diameter atCalyx 30.9 27.8 Attachment (mm) Fruit Diameter at Mid-point (mm) 27.630.9 Flesh Thickness at Mid-point (mm) 4.7 3.9 Average Number of Fruitsper Plant 14.9 14.8 % Large fruits 26.6%; 40-50 26.7%; 20-26 (Weightrange: ___ to ____) % Medium fruits 46.6; 25-39 33.3%; 15-19 (Weightrange: ___ to ____) % small fruits 26.7; 14-24 40%; 10-14 (Weight range:___ to ____) Average Fruit Weight (gm) 30.5 grams 16.4 grams Fruit BaseShape: Rounded Rounded 1 = Cupped (Yolo Wond L); 2 = Rounded (Jalapeno)Fruit Apex Shape: Pointed Pointed to blunt 1 = Pointed (Long ThinCayenne); 2 = Blunt (Yolo Wonder L) Fruit Shape: Oblong Oblong 1 = Bell(Yolo Wonder L); 2 = Conical (Pimiento); 3 = Elongate (Long ThinCayenne); 4 = Oblong (Jalapeno) 5 = Oblate (Sunnybrook); 6 = Globe (RedCherry); 7 = Other Fruit Shape (Longitudinal Narrow Narrow Section, seetriangular triangular attached pictures): 1 = Flattened; 2 = Round; 3 =Heart- shaped; 4 = Square; 5 = Rectangular; 6 = Trapezoid; 7 = NarrowTriangular 8 = Triangular; 9 = Horn-shaped Fruit Shape (Cross Section,Circular Circular at Level of Placenta): 1 = Elliptic; 2 = Triangular; 3= Quadrangular; 4 = Circular Fruit Set: Scattered Scattered 1 =Scattered; 2 = Concentrated Interloculary Grooves: Absent Absent 1 =Absent; 2 = Very Shallow; 3 = Shallow; 4 = Medium; 5 = Deep; 6 = VeryDeep % Fruits with one locule  0% 13.3% % Fruits with two locules 100%86.7% % Fruits with three locules  0%   0% % Fruits with four locules 0%   0% % Fruits with five or more locules  0%   0% Average Number ofLocules 2.0 1.87 Pedicel Length (mm) 28.8 23.1 Pedicel Thickness (mm)6.1 6.0 Pedicel Shape: Curved Curved 1 = Straight; 2 = Curved PedicelCavity: Absent Absent 1 = Absent; 2 = Present Seed: Seed Cavity Length(mm) 67.6 49.1 Seed Cavity Diameter (mm) 15.8 13.9 Placenta Length (mm)28.8 23.1 Number of Seeds per Fruit 38.2 5.67 Gm per 1000 seeds 9 grams8 grams Seed Color: Yellow Yellow 1 = Yellow; 2 = Purple Anthocyanin (atmaturity): (1 = Absent; 2 = Weak; 3 = Moderate; 4 = Strong) Seedlinghypocotyl Absent Absent Stem Weak Weak Node Moderate Moderate LeafAbsent Absent Pedicel Weak Weak Calyx Absent Absent Fruit Absent Absent

TABLE 2 Objective Description of Pepper Variety NUN 89004 PPS and theReference Variety (Non-USDA descriptors) NUN 89004 PPS TP 1201Characteristics (Application Variety) (Reference Variety) Cotyledonlength (mm) 35.8 34.4 Cotyledon width (mm) 12.29 11.63 Petiole width(mm) 2.98 2.88

TABLE 3 UPOV Characteristics of Pepper Variety NUN 89004 PPS NUN 89004PPS (Application Characteristics Variety) Seedling: anthocyanincoloration of hypocotyl (10-14 Present days after sowing) (1 absent/9present) Plant: habit (before maturity) (1 upright/2 semi-upright/Upright 3 prostrate) Plant: shortened internode (in upper part) (beforePresent maturity) (1 absent/9 present) Plant: number of flowers per node(1 one or two/2 three One or more) Varieties with shortened internodesonly: None Plant: number of internodes between the first flower andshortened internodes (before maturity) (1 none/2 one to three/3 morethan three) Plant: anthocyanin coloration of nodes (before maturity)Present (1 absent/9 present) Plant: vigour (1 very weak/3 weak/5medium/7 strong/ Medium 9 very strong) Stem: intensity of anthocyanincoloration of nodes Medium (before maturity) (1 very weak/3 weak/5medium/7 strong/9 very strong) Stem: hairiness of nodes Absent or (1absent or very weak/3 weak/ very weak 5 medium/7 strong/9 very strong)Leaf: color (1 dark green/2 green/3 yellow green) Dark green Leaf:intensity of green color (1 very light/3 light/5 Dark medium/7 dark/9very dark) Leaf: shape (before maturity) (1 lanceolate/2 ovate/3Lanceolate broad elliptic) Leaf: undulation of margin (before maturity)(1 absent Medium or very weak/3 weak/5 medium/7 strong/9 very strong)Leaf: pubescence (1 absent/9 present) Absent Leaf: blistering (beforematurity) (1 very weak/3 weak/ Weak 5 medium/7 strong/9 very strong)Leaf: profile in cross section (before maturity) (1 Strongly stronglyconcave/2 moderately concave/3 flat/4 convex moderately convex/5strongly convex) Leaf: glossiness (before maturity) (1 very weak/3 weak/Medium 5 medium/7 strong/9 very strong) Peduncle: attitude (before fruitset) (1 erect/2 semi- Semi- drooping/3 drooping) drooping Flower:attitude of peduncle (1 erect/2 non-erect) Non-erect Flower: colorbefore maturity (1 greenish white/2 Green yellow/3 green/4 purple)Flower: anthocyanin coloration in anther (1 absent/9 Present present)Flower: days to 50% flowering (from the date of sowing) Medium (3early/5 medium/7 late) Fruit: color (before maturity) (1 greenishwhite/2 Green yellow/3 green/4 purple) Fruit: intensity of color (beforematurity) (1 very light/3 Dark light/5 medium/7 dark/9 very dark)Bearing habit: Number of fruits per node (3 Solitary One (only 1)/5 twoto three/7 more than three) Fruit: anthocyanin coloration (beforematurity) Present (1 absent/9 present) Fruit: attitude (1 erect/2horizontal/3 drooping) Drooping Fruit: shape in longitudinal section (atmaturity) Narrowly (1 oblate/2 circular /3 cordate/4 square/5rectangular/6 triangular trapezoidal/7 moderately triangular/8 narrowlytriangular/9 hornshaped) Fruit: curvature (1 absent/9 present) AbsentFruit: shape in cross section (at maturity) (at level of Circularplacenta) (1 elliptic/2 angular/3 circular) Fruit: sinuation of pericarpat basal part (1 absent or very Absent or weak/3 weak/5 medium/7strong/9 very strong) very weak Fruit: sinuation of pericarp excludingbasal part (1 absent Absent or or very weak/3 weak/5 medium/7 strong/9very very weak strong) Fruit: texture of surface (1 smooth or veryslightly Smooth wrinkled/2 slightly wrinkled/3 strongly wrinkled) Fruit:color (at maturity) (1 yellow/2 orange/3 red/4 Red brown/5 green) Fruit:intensity of color (at maturity) (1 very light Medium 3 light/5 medium/7dark/9 very dark) Fruit: color transition (3 one stage/5 two stages7more One stage than two stages) Fruit: glossiness (at maturity) (1 veryweak/3 weak/5 Medium medium/7 strong/9 very strong) Fruit: shape of base(at maturity) (3 acute/5 round/7 Round sunken) Fruit: stalk cavity (1absent/9 present) Absent Fruit: shape of apex (at maturity) (1 veryacute/2 Moderately moderately acute/3 rounded/4 moderately depressed/5acute very depressed) Fruit: depth of interloculary grooves (1 absent orvery Absent or shallow/3 shallow/5 medium/7 deep) very weak Fruit:number of locules (1 predominantly two/2 equally Equally two two andthree/3 predominantly three/4 equally three and and three four/5predominantly four and more) Calyx: aspect (1 non-enveloping/2enveloping) Non- enveloping Fruit: capsaicin in placenta (1 absent/9present) Absent Fruit: firmness (1 very weak/3 weak/5 medium/7 Mediumstrong/9 very strong) Time of beginning of flowering (first flower onsecond Medium flowering node) (3 early/5 medium/7 late) Time of maturity(1 very early/3 early/5 medium/7 late/ Medium 9 very late)

TABLE 4 Distinguishing Characteristics between Pepper Variety NUN 89004PPS and the Reference Variety NUN 89004 PPS TP 1201 (Application(Reference Characteristics Variety) Variety) Plant (at maturity): PlantHeight (cm) 67.8 56.4 Length of Third Internode 17.0 13.7 (from soilsurface) (mm) Cotyledon width (mm) 12.29 11.63 Leaves (at maturity):Leaf Width (mm) 153.6 120.6 Leaf Length (mm) 78.4 69.6 Petiole Length(mm) 79.8 69.6 Leaf color Dark green Dark green (RHS 137D) (RHS 137A)Fruit (at maturity): Fruit color Red (RHS 42A) Red (RHS N34A) CalyxDiameter (mm) 19.9 17.2 Fruit Length (mm) 93.5 63.3 Fruit Diameter atCalyx 30.9 27.8 Attachment (mm) Fruit Diameter at Mid-point 27.6 30.9(mm) Flesh Thickness at Mid-point 4.7 3.9 (mm) Average Fruit Weight (gm)30.5 grams 16.4 grams Pedicel Length (mm) 28.8 23.1 Seed: Seed CavityLength (mm) 67.6 49.1 Seed Cavity Diameter (mm) 15.8 13.9 PlacentaLength (mm) 28.8 23.1 Number of Seeds per Fruit 38.2 5.67

The invention claimed is:
 1. A plant, plant part, or seed of peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein a representative sample of seed of saidpepper variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43266. 2. Theplant part of claim 1, wherein said plant part is a fruit, a leaf,pollen, an ovule, a cell, a scion, a root, a rootstock, a cutting, or aflower.
 3. A seed that produces the plant of claim
 1. 4. A pepper planthaving all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of theplant of claim
 1. 5. A pepper plant which does not differ from the plantof claim 1, when the numerical characteristics are determined at the 5%significance level when grown under the same environmental conditions,and wherein a representative sample of seed of said pepper variety isdeposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43266. 6. A tissue or cellculture comprising regenerable cells of the plant of claim
 1. 7. Thetissue or cell culture according to claim 6, comprising cells orprotoplasts derived from a plant part suitable for vegetativereproduction, wherein the plant part is a meristem, a cotyledon, ahypocotyl, pollen, a leaf, an anther, a root, a root tip, a pistil, apetiole, a flower, a fruit, a stem, or a stalk.
 8. A pepper plantregenerated from the tissue or cell culture of claim 7, wherein theregenerated plant has all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, when the numericalcharacteristics are determined at the 5% significance level for plantsgrown under the same environmental conditions, and wherein arepresentative sample of seed of pepper variety is deposited underAccession Number NCIMB
 43266. 9. A method of producing the plant ofclaim 1, said method comprising vegetatively propagating at least a partof the plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein a representative sampleof seed of said pepper variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB43266.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said vegetative propagationcomprises regenerating a whole plant from said part of the plant ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein a representative sample of seed of saidpepper variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43266. 11. Themethod of claim 9, wherein said part is a cutting, a cell culture, or atissue culture.
 12. A vegetatively propagated plant produced by themethod of claim 9, wherein the plant has all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the plant of variety NUN 89004 PPS,when the numerical characteristics are determined at the 5% significancelevel for plants grown under the same conditions, and wherein arepresentative sample of seed of said pepper variety is deposited underAccession Number NCIMB
 43266. 13. A method of producing a pepper plant,said method comprising crossing the plant of claim 1 with itself or witha second pepper plant at least once, selecting a progeny pepper plantfrom said crossing and optionally allowing the progeny pepper plant toform seed, wherein said selected progeny pepper plant has all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the plant of varietyNUN 89004 PPS when grown under the same environmental conditions, andwherein a representative sample of seed of said pepper variety isdeposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43266. 14. A method ofintroducing a desired trait into the plant of claim 1, comprisingtransforming the plant of claim 1 with a transgene that confers thedesired trait, wherein the plant comprises the desired trait andotherwise has all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof the plant of claim
 1. 15. The plant of claim 1, further comprising asingle locus conversion, wherein said plant otherwise has all of themorphological and physiological characteristics of the plant of varietyNUN 89004 PPS, when the numerical characteristics are determined at the5% significance level for plants grown under the same environmentalconditions, wherein a representative sample of seed of said peppervariety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43266, and wherein thesingle locus conversion confers male sterility, herbicide tolerance,pest resistance, environmental stress resistance, modified carbohydratemetabolism, modified protein metabolism or ripening.
 16. A method ofmaking doubled haploid cells of pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, saidmethod comprising making double haploid cells from the plant or seed ofpepper variety NUN 89004 PPS, wherein a representative sample of seed ofsaid pepper variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43266. 17.A plant comprising the scion or rootstock of claim
 2. 18. A containercomprising the plant, plant part, or seed of claim
 1. 19. A food, or afeed product, or a processed product comprising the plant part of claim2, wherein the plant part comprises at least one cell of pepper varietyNUN 89004 PPS.
 20. A method of producing a pepper plant having a desiredtrait, wherein the method comprises mutating a plant or plant part ofvariety NUN 89004 PPS and selecting a plant with a desired trait,wherein the mutated plant otherwise retains all or all but one, two, orthree of the physiological and morphological characteristics of peppervariety NUN 89004 PPS, when the numerical characteristics are determinedat the 5% significance level for plants grown under the sameenvironmental conditions, wherein a representative sample of seed ofsaid pepper variety NUN 89004 PPS is deposited under Accession NumberNCIMB 43266, and wherein the desired trait is male sterility, herbicidetolerance, pest resistance, environmental stress resistance, modifiedcarbohydrate metabolism, modified protein metabolism or ripening.
 21. Amethod of producing a pepper fruit, said method comprising growing theplant of claim 1 until it sets at least one fruit and collecting thefruit.
 22. The fruit produced by the method of claim of claim
 21. 23. Acontainer comprising the fruit or part thereof produced by the method ofclaim 21.